The plants watered , the doors latched and double checked,
all electronic gadgets switched off, inform the milk man, the newspaper vendor
and neighbours of your imminent holiday, pack the sunscreen along with the
prenatal vitamins and we are off to your babymoon.
Ever since I got pregnant I started dreaming about our
babymoon; that last retreat sans the diapers and the baby carrier, our last
‘couples only’ holiday for a long time to come. Babymoons are such a draw that
in a research by Babycenter, over 60% of American couples opt for a babymoon
prior to the arrival of their little bundle of joy. A baby moon has many
advantages like a relaxing break of the mom to be, a time for the parents to be
to bond as a twosome, relive the memories of their care free life till that
moment and more than anything a beacon of light during the morning sickness
filled first trimester.
The best time to go for a babymoon is from 14 to 26 weeks
but we waited for the 20 week anomaly scan before setting out knowing that
everything was hale and hearty, also one is over the tumultuous first
trimester, and still gathering courage for the last haul in the last few
months. Its your prize for making it so far, and it will hold you in good stead
as warm glowing memories during the sleepless nights in the first few days post
partum. The advantages of a babymoon vacation are many, and I didn’t need to be
convinced twice that I needed some pampering.
After much deliberation we were down to Thailand, Bali, Srilanka,
Coorg and Goa as our destinations. Bangkok because my doctor said its best to
choose a “city destination” with hospitals in case of any accidents, but as
much as Thai cuisine is my favourite I wasn’t sure of the MSG in the food, Bali
is one of the top babymoon destinations but the long air travel was a deterrent,
Coorg is gorgeous with its coffee and orange plantations but the nearest
airport is a good 5 hour drive away and changing one flight and then driving
another 5 hours could be tiring, Srilanka seemed ideal but it’s a place that I
wanted to see extensively and knew that I would want to take in all the sights
and sounds rather than relax, and so we decided it best to go to a place where
we had been before, Goa.
Again after much online research I chose Alila Diwa resort
and spa, situated in the rustic by lanes of Majorda, far from the madding crowd
and boasting of a luxuriously lazy retreat amongst sylvan surroundings.
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| blooming prettiness diwa club |
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| it's not called waddling, it's the pregnancy SWAG! |
Not only is the place impeccably landscaped and extensively
spread out, they have a premium complex of 35 rooms where every room faces the swimmingpool,
and this exclusive annexe has its own private pool as well as 12 hour bistro.
Even though the hotel was hosting a large group of over 150 people for a
wedding we heard none of the noise so typical of an indian wedding revelry.
(tip: since a large
part of the coming months will be filled with baby cries, choose your
destination such that there is minimal wailing and toddler tantrums of kids of
the other guests.)
The room was thoughtfully provided with a pregnancy pillow,
those ergonomically designed wonders which support your back and belly while
you sleep.
(tip: prolonged lying
on your back can lead to the womb compressing the large vessels in the abdomen
the inferior vena cava, thus reducing the blood returning to your herat, a
safer and recommended sleeping position is the left lateral, or lying on the
left side)
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| yaay! my own pregnancy pillow, thoughtful gesture by alila diwa |
We were greeted with a lovely fruit and cream cake,
something they regularly do for guests celebrating momentous occasions at the
resort. You may even inform the inhouse concierge to make the arrival special by
letting them know of any decorations that the family/friends would like to
surprise you with. The cake itself serves as a great midnight snack for the
always ravenous mum-to-be.
(Tip: some mums-to-be
have very specific food cravings and it would be a good idea to let the hotel
know in advance, or if they are foods that you can carry with you, that’s a
good idea as well.)
Breakfasts are the most important meal for the pregnant
woman, and even though a love a hearty breakfast buffet, I preferred something
small frequent meals now.Thebistro in the diwa club has breakfast from 7 am to
7 pm, allowing for late risers to have a brunch, and we were never in a rush to
catch the 10 : 30 deadline that the regular buffet had. another plus was that I
could head over to the bistro for a juice and some fruit earlier in the
morning, head over for a bit of prenatal yoga at the gym, and head back for a
more hearty breakfast a little later. Flexible meal timings as well as the
choice of breaking my morning meal into smaller portions were major pluses for
me.
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| protein rich breakfast |
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| dont forget your prenatal vitamins |
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| coconut water to Hydrate |
I am a self confessed spa junkie, but very few places
offered pregnancy spa experiences . At Alila Diwa, Dr Arjita, an ayurvedic
doctor who is also trained in hypnotherapy and pranic healing spoke
knowledgably about the various benefits of massages for pregnant women.
Massages help the mother-to-be to relax, helpd the lymphatic drainage and thus
the water retention and pedal edema that many women suffer, help relax the
muscles and the various aches and pains associated with carrying the extra
weight. Oils which were safe in pregnancy were virgin coconut oil, ylang ylang,
almond oils.
(Tip: in India we
celebrate godhbharai/fulam/dohal Jevan/valakaapu/seemantham a type of baby
shower. Unlike the western baby shower where guests bring gifts for the baby to
be, it is considered inauspicious to bring anything for the yet unborn. So most
common gifts are for the mother in the form of clothes or jewellery. A babymoon
package for the couple, or even a pregnancy spa for the mum-to-be, or a couples
spa retreat would be thoughtful gift ideas.)
My masseuse was Brinda who has had extensive experience
working with patients with chronic illnesses as well as pregnant women.
Rhythmic sweeping movements in long uninterrupted waves helped relax the
muscles. Gently kneeding away the knots is scented Jasmine oil as one lay in
the lateral position, and with relaxing music bringing about a holistic feeling
of well being.
(tip: heat therapies
like mud baths, steams and saunas are best avoided in oregnancy as the
increased core temperature and dehydration could be potentially harmful.)
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| the secret to a happy marriage, his and hers basins and bath products.;) |
Our rooms itself had the most uh-mazing bath enclave.
Boasting of a his and hers cupboards, his and her wash basins, shower cabinet
and a glorious bath tub complete with scented bath salts and aroma oil reeds,
and mood lighting, this was one ‘bathroom’ that I would love to airlift to my
home. The bath tub allowed you to titrate the temperature to a pregnancy safe
temperature while still allowing you to enjoy a ‘spa like’ experience in the
comfort of your room. Be extra careful while getting in and out of them though.
Now having read a ton of pregnancy literature all extolling
on the virtues of swimming for the mom, or generally the weightlessness of
being felt in a pool, I was eager to experience the same for myself. Alila Diwa
has 3 swimming pools, a semi private one in the Diwa club, a more grand
infinity pool overlooking paddy fields in the main enclave and kids pool as
well. The best part is that it is at a comfortable 3.5 feet to 4 feet depth for
the larger part allowing for just waddling in the water without fear.
While most sites speak of swimming hardly any of them
mention the problems of pregnancy swimsuits. Lucky for me Alila Living the in
house boutique shop had an XXL size for me. The Alila living store also had
some lovely trinkets which you could ask your husband to pamper you with, after
all shopping has its own therapeutic advantages.
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| the submerged Bar, enjoy your drinks while lazing in the pool. |
The unique half submerged swimming pool bar wa such novelty
that I chose to sip on a chilled tender coccnut water as I gazed out at cocnut
groves in the distance as well as being surrounded by them. Sure it costs 8
times the amount you could get them at the beach, but then you can’t put a
price on some experiences.
The Majorda beach is about a 15 minute walk from the resort,
and they have buggees to take you there as well. Catch the sunset by the sea,
and then head over to the nearby beach shacks selling free flowing comfortable
lounge wear so perfect for the burgeoning belly. Soft cotton kaftans in pretty
colours were haggled down from 800 rupees to 400, making me extra happy with
the retail therapy.
No holiday is complete without delectable food and g-astronomical
amounts of it for the ‘always’ hungry ‘feeding for two’.
We dined in the award winning spice studio and were amazed
at the absolute faultless food served. The kozi vartha kari chicken cooked
malabar style with Appams was tangy with tamarind and redolent with curry
leaves and south Indian spices, while the dhabe ka gosht, mutton cooked Punjabi
style played jugalbandi with our taste buds.
A grand selection of wines of which the hubby partook, and
while I wallowed at my ‘alcohol ban’ the virgin litchi mojito was such a
fabulous non alcoholic drink that I envied him no more. The sweetness of the
litchi crush, freshness of mints, tangy lime, and the surprise hit of green
chillies is just right to drive any pregnancy blues away.
The dinner at Vivo was more of a multicuisine spread, and we
spread out across the globe with Italian Pizzas and oriental honey glazed pork
ribs. They have an extensive buffet to choose from as well.
Building a new human being is tough work, and as soon to be
Mom’s we all deserve a bit of Tender loving care, and a vacation from the
worldly worries is just what the doctor recommended.we had relaxing spas, rejuvinating walks on the beach and invigorating swims, the best bit was just lazing around with no agenda and no schedules.
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| proud parents to be |
(tip: if you have a
high risk pregnancy, carrying twins, or have older kids at home a staycation is
a good idea. Check into a hotel/resort in your home city so hat in case of any
undue emergency, you are easily accessible)
